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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — completely
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mate — to breed
  18. chip — to eat
  19. can — a tin
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pitch — a sports field

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com